ANIMAL SPECIES:Prickly Shark, Echinorhinus cookei Pietschmann, 1928
The Prickly Shark has two small dorsal fins positioned posteriorly on the body. It lacks an anal fin. There are numerous, thorn-like denticles on the body. The species is usually grey-brown in colour. The margins of the fins are sometimes black and the underside of the snout and around the mouth are usually white.
Alternative Names/s
It has also been called Cooks Bramble Shark.Identification
The Prickly Shark has two small dorsal fins positioned posteriorly on the body. It lacks an anal fin. There are numerous, thorn-like denticles on the body.
The species is usually grey-brown in colour. The margins of the fins are sometimes black and the underside of the snout and around the mouth are usually white.
Two species of Echinorhinus (Bramble Sharks) are known from Australian waters. The Prickly Shark and the Bramble Shark, Echinorhinus brucus. The latter species has fewer, sparsely spaced denticles on the body.
Size range
The Prickly Shark grows to 4 m in length.Distribution
The species is recorded from scattered localities around the Pacific.
In Australia it is known to occur from Bass Strait, Victoria to eastern South Australia.
Habitat
It lives in marine waters at depths between 11 m and 580 m (usually over 70 m).
Behaviour and adaptations
Feeding and Diet
Stomach contents of Prickly Sharks have included fishes (including sharks and rays) and cephalopods.
Classification
- Species:
- cookei
- Genus:
- Echinorhinus
- Family:
- Echinorhinidae
- Order:
- Echinorhiniformes
- Class:
- Chondrichthyes
- Subphylum:
- Vertebrata
- Phylum:
- Chordata
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
References
- Last, P.R. & J.D. Stevens. 1994 Sharks and Rays of Australia. CSIRO. Pp. 513.
- Stevens, J.D. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
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Prickly Shark, Echinorhinus cookei View full size
Martin Gomon
© Museum Victoria
Teeth of a Prickly Shark, Echinorhinus cookei View full size
Isobel Bennett
© Isobel Bennett
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